With conventional lithography processes, the problem of SAV process margin loss occurs when there is shrinkage in the metal pitch. With conventional SAV processes, a metal hardmask is used to produce the SAV. However, a SAV pattern edge cannot be extended to an adjacent metal. This loss of process margin occurs when the metal pitch shrinks in the 7 nm technology node due to the limits of current lithography processes in terms of critical dimension uniformity (CDU) and overlay alignment (OVL).
A need therefore exists for methodology enabling increased process margins in terms of critical dimensions and edge placement margins during SAV formation.